I was a civil engineer 20 years ago. I was the only female and it was a terrible experience. I left civil engineering and went into IT. I spent about 8 years in IT and again, was the only female the majority of the time. It was tough but I knew that I was good. I eventually left the field to teach computer science. I expose every child but especially girls and students of color how awesome this creative field can be. I connect them with other female rock stars in the field so that they can be encouraged and so that my students can make informed decisions about their futures.
My favorite note from a female student last year was “Thank you for encouraging me to to want to learn about a field that I never thought that I could be a part of!”